Filmmaker Jim
Mickle may borrow in style from directors that he admires, but the narratives
he chooses have an unpredictable edge to them. Cold in July is no exception, spiraling into a seedy noir that one
would never imagine from the film’s beginning. Based on the novel by Joe R.
Lansdale, the story winds and weaves into unexpected territory after an
exciting opening scene. Though it drags in the middle before providing a
satisfyingly exciting climactic sequence, this is helped along with the three
fantastic actors in the leading roles.

When small-town
family man Richard Dane (Michael C. Hall) is awoken by a burglar late one night
in 1989 in his home in Texas,
he inadvertently kills the intruder. This bit of information goes out in the
local paper, making him something between a freak show and a hero for the
locals. It also attracts the attention of Ben (Sam Shepard), the father of the
burglar that Richard is reported to have killed in the break-in. When Ben
begins to show up threatening Richard and his family, the narrative deceptively
seems to be falling into a predictable rhythm, which it does not remain in for
long.

This is a
surprising exception to the formulaic films often produced for mass
entertainment, taking the audience down a devious rabbit hole of crime and
corruption. For sake of enjoyment, I won’t divulge further elements of the
plot, but to say that the cast is joined by Don Johnson as Private Detective
Jim Bob. Although each of the actors are well suited for their roles, Johnson
seems to be having the most fun with it.

This is one of
the few independent films in recent history that I would recommend on Blu-ray,
because of Mickle’s distinctly stylistic approach to filmmaking. The
cinematography by Ryan Samul is breathtaking, and it is paired perfectly with a
synthesized soundtrack reminiscent of classic John Carpenter. The Blu-ray
special features include cast/crew commentaries, deleted scenes (also with
optional commentary tracks). As if that wasn’t enough, even the early
pre-visualization tests have a commentary track available. One of my favorite
features, however, is the isolated score track for Jeff Grace’s soundtrack.
There is also a trailer.